12Megapixel
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Samsung's SCH-W880 12 megapixel phonecamera with 3x optical zoom
In a welcome reversal of trends, Samsung just stuffed a 3G cellphone into a 12 megapixel camera making this M8920 / SCH-W880 more of a camera than most 12 megapixel cameraphones can claim. While this presumed follow-up to Samsung's Pixon 12 (M8910) isn't official, the announcement looks imminent based on the leaked collateral above and the spyshots that emerged over the weekend. What's impressive here is that extending 3x optical zoom -- something carried over from the SCH-B600 -- and dedicated camera controls like a mode dial, shutter and zoom, and big 3.3-inch WVGA AMOLED display. Rounding out the specs are HD (720p presumably) video, HSDPA data, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, microSD slot, and DMB mobile television; that latter spec making this Korea-only whenever it does launch. See her in the wild after the break.[Via HDBlog.IT]
Video: Sony Ericsson Satio unboxed, demonstrated with the utmost care
October 7th is like, what, just under a fortnight away? But we know good and well that's not making it any easier to wait for Sony Ericsson's 12.1 megapixel Satio to launch across the pond. If you're eager to live vicariously through a well-connected individual over on YouTube, you can hop on past the break right now to see the phone unboxed (in all three colors, no less) and detailed to a level that only a true SE fanboy could treasure. And that includes you, over there in the closet...[Thanks, Simon]
Altek crams a dozen megapixels of wishful thinking into T8680 cameraphone
There once was a time when a 12 megapixel cameraphone would have been laughed at, and, though many are still smirking (guilty), they're now a reality -- a reality that Altek wants desperately to be a part of with its T8680 handset. Its face looks rather like a PMP with a 3-inch WQVGA LCD, but on the back is the standard sort of 3x pop-out zoom that you'd expect on a compact shooter, sitting next to a tiny xenon flash. It'll capture unnecessarily high resolution images while being crippled to VGA video, play back MP3 and AAC files, and tune into the Weekly Top 40 over FM. Yes, it'll even make calls, but with only tri-band GSM/EDGE support don't expect to e-mail those gigantic pictures directly from the phone. The T8680 is expected to hit Chinese retailers in about a month for 3000 yuan (about $440), and probably won't be making much of an appearance elsewhere. [Via GSM Arena]
Olympus announces new FE and mju range 12 megapixel shooters
It looks like the camera fanatics at Olympus just don't know when to stop. Just as we're trying to figure out how to cadge an EP-1 for our own greedy amusements, the company is back with a handful of budget compacts, which may lack a bit of "the sexy" but are obviously a touch more affordable. Among new additions to the FE range you can count the FE-5020 (5x super wide optical zoom), FE-4000 (4x wide optical zoom), and FE-26 (3x optical zoom). Aside from the differences in lens size, these bad boys are all pretty much the same, hitting the ground with 12 megapixel CCDs, 2.7-inch displays, advanced face tracking, intelligent auto mode, and both xD-Picture Card and microSD compatibility. If that weren't enough, the FE-5020 and FE-4000 also include "Magic Filter" functionality (which some might call "tacky filters," if the fish eye lens and sepia tone effects aren't really your bag). While we're at it, we might as well mention the company's newest addition to the mju line: The mju 7010 sports a 7x optical zoom, but otherwise looks pretty much the same (12 megapixel, 2.7-inch display, advanced face tracking and intelligent auto mode, magic filters, etc). All the aforementioned devices are due to hit the streets this August. We don't have a price yet on the FE cameras, while the mju is said to retail for £249 (that's about $400).Read - Olympus announces FE-5020, FE-4000, FE-46 and FE-26Read - Olympus mju 7010
Samsung PL70 and PL55 bring 12 megapixels to the unwashed masses
Promising to allow the differently rich consumer a chance to experience "the latest and most advanced digital imaging technology" (of 2008), Samsung has today announced two new entry-level cameras. While the headline features -- 12.2 megapixel sensor and 5x optical zoom -- are identical, the PL70 (SL720 here in the US) comes with a 3-inch LCD screen, 28mm wide-angle lens and an optical image stabilizer, whereas the PL55 (SL502 for us Yanks) makes do with 2.7-inches, 35mm and digital image stabilization. The senior model also records video at 720p ( 640 x 480 for the PL55) and boasts the nifty ability to search images by a person's face. The usual scene, face, smile and blink detection is available on both cameras, while pricing is set at $229.99 and $149.99, respectively, for the August-bound shooters.
LG's 12 megapixel GC990 Louvre flagship with Schneider-Kreuznach optics records our puzzlement in HD
If you're the type who values specs above all else then lean in close, LG's GC990 Louvre is about as spec heavy as it gets. Taking its industrial design and UI cues from the GC900 it will replace later this year, LG's newest flagship brings yet another 12 megapixel camera to market. LG's promising "zero shutter lag" while using respectable Schneider-Kreuznach optics with auto- or touchscreen-focus, a xenon flash, claimed ISO 3200 sensitivity (from a tiny cellphone image sensor?), and the ability to record 720p video at 30 fps. It'll also geotag your snaps thanks to on-board GPS. Fine, just remember that 12 megapixel images shot at full quality will result in massive (up to 18MB) files that must then be stored and transmitted to your favorite image sharing sites -- a waste of time and treasure unless you plan to blow up and crop those well-lit images. Anywho, rounding out the specs are LG's S-Class featurephone UI running atop an auto-rotating 3.2-inch (16:9 aspect) touchscreen display, WiFi, Bluetooth, DivX and Xvid video support, a TV-out jack, and support for media sharing with DLNA standard devices. Picture of the backside camera just beyond the read link.
Samsung's Omnia family hands-on, Samsung Jet and Pixon 12 come along for the ride
Samsung just pulled a bit of a "Samsung" and completely blew out its Omnia lineup. We just got some face time with the new Omnia II, Omnia Pro, Omnia Lite and the Omnia-inspired Jet, along with the Pixon 12 -- which runs the same in-house Samsung OS as the Jet, but packs a 12 megapixel camera. It's hard not to notice the stunning AMOLED screens on these phones, especially up against the dull-by-comparison Omnia Lite with its petty LCD. Unfortunately, while the build quality is good and the specs are certainly all there, all the phones were fairly slow in regular operation. The Jet and Pixon were passable (and the Jet certainly ought to be, with an 800MHz "application processor"), but we can't imagine anybody finding any pleasure in the molasses Windows Mobile 6.1 experiences on the Omnia trio. The Jet has a fun little 3D UI "cube" gimmick, which involves the pointless spinning of a cube to access different media apps, but most of what we saw was pretty standard TouchWiz. We did like the speed of Pixon's camera, which does a Pre-style trick of sending photo processing duties to the background so you can snap another photo with little delay in between -- it's also pretty good at auto focus and color accuracy for a phone, but we won't be trading in our regular point and shoot in the near term. None of the phones we looked at had network access, so we weren't able to test out the WebKit browsers, but it sounds like a major win for the Jet and Pixon. Let's just work on that Omnia responsiveness a bit, yeah Samsung? Perhaps Windows Mobile 6.5 (the Omnia II and Omnia Pro are 6.5-ready) will help.Update: we added a video of the Omnia II and Omnia Pro after the break!
Samsung's Pixon 12: a dozen megapixels of cameraphone nonsense in June
After failing to show at Mobile World Congress event in February, Samsung's rumored 12 megapixel cameraphone has finally arrived. Meet the Pixon 12 and its 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a Sammy promise of fast shutter speeds and quick browsing. As a camera, the Pixon 12 (M8910) brings a dedicated shutter button, touch auto-focus (wherever you touch becomes the focal point) that locks in to track moving subjects, Smart Auto mode changing depending upon conditions, and 28-mm wide angle lens. The unit also saves images relatively quickly (for a cameraphone) so that you can fire off the next shot within 2 seconds. Just remember, more megapixels do not make for better photos especially when jammed tightly into a sensor small enough for a cellphone. And 12 megapixels translates to files ranging from 2MB to 18MB and beyond depending on the compression used (Samsung doesn't say). So ask yourself: is it really worth the storage space and the associated delays when uploading images to Samsung's Share Pix service (with Facebook, Picasa, Flickr integration) over the Pixon 12's built-in WiFi and HSUPA data? No rush, you've got time to decide -- Pixon 12 will be hitting Europe in late June, other regions sometime in August. One more pic after the break.Update: Full specs just came in: 150MB on-board storage (MicroSD expansion); quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, HSPA 900/2100MHz; Xenon + Power LED flash; 720 x 480 pixel videos at 30fps; internal GPS, and FM radio with RDS.
Sony Cyber-shot W180 and W190 cameras feature awesome digital zooms
Sony just announced a pair of Cyber-shot cameras in Europe. Both offer Sony's smile shutter technology, 3x zoom stabilized with SteadyShot, 2.7-inch LCD, a claimed ISO 3200 sensitivity, and 7 automatic scene selection modes. The W180, though, has a 10.1 megapixel sensor to the 12.1 megapixels of the W190 (pictured). Oddly, Sony's pushing the 17x/18x digital zoom capabilities on these -- something we haven't seen hyped for a few years:Pristine picture quality is further enhanced by the high-quality 3x optical zoom lens. Smart zoom boosts maximum magnification to a frame-filling 18x for W190 and 17x for W180 for even more dramatic close-ups. In other words, these cams are targeting entry-level consumers prone to enjoying a Big Mac and tattle-rag while shopping instead of doing any real pre-purchase research. Available starting July in silver, black, and red for "an outstanding value." Backside front, after the break.
Nikon S630 unboxing and hands-on: pretty in pink edition
What's that, another compact digital camera unboxing? Yes, dear readers, we've got a mega-megapixel story cooking for you, and another ingredient has arrived. This time it's Nikon's Coolpix S630, a 12 megapixel, 7x optical zoom compact that features optical stabilization and a particularly vibrant hue. So far we're impressed by the camera's shape, lightness, and build quality, but this one has plenty more testing ahead of it before we make any solid conclusions. Until then, enjoy a few shots of its unveiling.
FujiFilm's FinePix F200EXR, and its pricetag, get reviewed
While some early shots showed a lot of promise, a full review was necessary to ensure that FujiFilm's latest compact camera would be the performer we were hoping for -- and that it would live up to its $400 price. According to Photography Blog this 12 megapixel shooter doesn't disappoint, scoring very high marks for image quality and features. Its EXR mode, which can toggle between favoring resolution, dynamic range, or low noise, works more or less as advertised, bringing far more depth to shadows than your usual pocket cam can manage. Pictures were clear through ISO 800, but anything above that (up to its ludicrous ISO 12800 mode) were too noisy to be usable. Overall the cam was found to be a "veritable breath of fresh air" and a solid choice for a serious photographers who like air and don't want to lug their SLR everywhere.
Sony Ericsson's Idou stylus gets pictured, piques interests
We've already investigated every single nook and crannie involved in Sony Ericsson's 12 megapixel Idou, but here's something we haven't seen: an associated stylus. It's difficult to tell at the moment if SE plans to toss this in with the Idou (or whatever it ends being called) like Nokia did when it threw in a guitar pick with the 5800 XpressMusic, but either way, you can consider our interest piqued. Not that we're fans of using a stylus over our own digits, mind you, but we are fond of random, if not unnecessary accessories. Save the lecture, we realize that's odd.[Thanks, Jesper]
Olympus exec declares "twelve megapixels is enough"
The megapixel race has been declared over plenty of times before, but we're guessing that there will be more folks than ever in agreement with Olympus exec Akira Watanabe's recent statement that twelve megapixels is "enough for covering most applications most customers need." In addition to that blanket declaration, Watanabe said that Olympus has "no intention to compete in the megapixel wars for E-System" (its line of DSLRs), adding that it would instead focus on other features like dynamic range, color reproduction, and a better ISO range for low-light shooting. On that latter front, Watanabe predicts that autofocus could be one of the big areas of innovation in DSLRs, with current "phase detect" systems giving way to new and improved image sensor-based autofocus systems. So, what do you think? Is twelve enough, or is the more megapixels the merrier? Sound off in comments.[Via Ars Technica]
LG affirms that 12 megapixel cameraphone is in the works
Here at MWC, the only cellphone maker to actually come forward with proof of a 12 megapixel phone was Sony Ericsson. Still, you know that everyone else is apt to follow suit as quickly as possible, and it seems that LG will be one of the first. In fact, said company "absolutely" has a 12 megapixeler in the works. That's according to Jeremy Newing, LG Mobile's head of marketing in the UK, who also proclaimed that the KS360 would be LG's first Android phone. In his words: "We'll very much be releasing a 12MP cameraphone. However, it's important that people realize when taking 12MP images, they'll be using huge amounts of data, and it will be more difficult to do things like send such files." Honestly, we're a bit tired of the megapixel race -- get an optical zoom onto a slim cellphone, and then we'll talk.[Thanks, Jimb]
Samsung's TL320: the mystery digital camera with analog gauges
We've seen some interesting looking shooters from Samsung before, but nothing quite like this latest charmer, a 12 megapixel mystery model that's just appeared on Amazon's site. It features a 5x stabilized zoom lens on the front, which is nice and all, but the real bits of intrigue are elsewhere. Beaming back at ya will be a 3-inch OLED screen, a rarity for a digi cam, but it's also got a pair of those analog gauges we loved on the NV9 on top that show battery life and remaining storage. Sadly, other than Amazon saying it'll sell for a penny under $330 we don't know a thing about it's availability, but we'll be keeping an eye out for it and its dashing red arrows. %Gallery-45319%[Via OLED-Info]Update: The actual MSRP is $379.99, as confirmed today via a Samsung press release.
Sony Ericsson gets official with "Idou" 12 megapixel mobile
We didn't doubt it for a second (okay, maybe one second), but Sony's so-called Idou is for real. Though, we wouldn't go memorizing that name or anything, 'cause SE has plans to change it to something more commercial before summer. At any rate, the touchscreen-heavy handset -- which will run Symbian Foundation at launch -- does indeed sport a 12.1 megapixel shooter (which was hinted at last November), which sort of makes the also-just-official Samsung Memoir seem a bit dated already. It's funny too, as the only dozen megapixeler we were actually expecting at this show was from Samsung. We're still waiting on the minutiae, but we do know that it will pack a 3.5-inch panel (640 x 320 resolution; no word on capacitive or resistive) and "full media consumption," a phrase we're still struggling to digest. More as we get it!%Gallery-44764%
Samsung dashes hopes for 12 megapixel phone at MWC
Okay, so a recap is definitely in order here. Merely 11 days ago, a flurry of rumors about Samsung's Mobile World Congress plans filtered out, which just so happened to include word of a 12 megapixel cameraphone. Then, the outfit itself leaked nine new models, giving just a wee bit of credence to the whispers we'd heard. Following that, we even saw a certain UK branch get ahold of one of its flagship models prior to the show, while it casually mentioned that no Android-based phones would be on display. Now, the other most awesome handset (er, rumored handset) is being squashed for a MWC debut, as Telecoms Korea has it that no dozen-megapixel phone is coming to Barcelona. No worries, though -- you'll have plenty to gawk at between the Blue Earth and the Ultra Touch S8300.[Via Samsung Central, thanks David]
Fujifilm FinePix F200 EXR's photos shown off
We were fairly hopeful that Fujifilm's recently revealed 12 megapixel FinePix F200 EXR point and shoot would produce some great looking shots. Well, the fine folks over at Impress Watch have gotten their hands on one and taken it for a spin. In case you've forgotten, the camera is Fuji's first offering to boast its new 1/1.6-inch Super CCD EXR sensor, and it's got a 3-inch LCD, a 28-mm wide-angle 5x zoom lens, and is capable of 640 x 480 AVI video recording. The photos we're seeing are very crisp and detailed, with excellent color and very low noise. Though we won't know until we see for ourselves (still no word on pricing or availability for this one), we're preliminarily impressed. Check a few more after the break -- hit the read for full comparison shots with explanations.
Samsung to release 12 megapixels of cameraphone foolishness this month?
It's been a few years since Samsung unleashed its 10 megapixel cameraphone onto the world. Now we're hearing that Samsung will push the limits of absurdity to a full 12 megapixels "this month," likely at Mobile World Congress. The phone is expected to hit the production lines in February with a European debut shortly thereafter. No details are provided other than the picture above used (but not attributed) by Unwired View. If this is the unannounced phone then we can obviously expect GPS geotagging, DivX video capture, and WiFi with DLNA support. One thing is clear: Samsung thinks that Europeans are pixel braggarts with little concern for image quality.Update: Nope, that image is just a Photoshop of an 8 megapixel Innov8 -- still, we wouldn't be surprised to see the same feature set and industrial design in a 12 megapixel handset.
Ericsson: 20 megapixel cellphones shooting Full HD video in 4 years
It's tough to predict the future, especially with cutbacks to R&D budgets in the face of a global economic slowdown. Still, it's always nice to see a forward-looking corporate-slide related to mobile handsets from the taller, blonder half of that Sony Ericsson partnership. LTE and fast CPUs are certainly no surprise, nor is that 1,024 x 768 XGA screen resolution that Japan's superphones are already bumping up against. The most compelling vision is that of the embedded camera sensors: 12-20 megapixels capable of recording Full HD video by 2012. Adding more fuel to firey speculation that handsets are about to find themselves embroiled in a megapixel war. Fine by us, just as long the optics and image processing are there to support such a resolution. Even though 12-20 megapixels seems high compared to the 5-8 megapixel cell phones we see today, those numbers are entirely within reason when you recall that Samsung hit 10 megapixels in Korea two years ago. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised in the least to find Ericsson's mythical device on the market well prior to 2012. Combined, these features certainly make for a tantalizing glimpse at the wireless handset future.
